Light occlusive eyelid cover that permits uninhibited sight

ABSTRACT

An improved sleeping eyelid cover that blocks a significant portion of light from entering a closed eye by way of the eyelid and allows uninhibited sight. The eyelid cover is safe and comfortable and conceived to be used as a sleep aid. The front side ( 14 ) and back side ( 16 ) of the eyelid cover are made of a flexible material that enables the eyelid cover to fold into (or out from) the ocular cavity and allow uninhibited sight for the wearer by the wearer opening his/her eyes. The eyelid cover attaches to the eye be way of adhesive which may be applied to the back side ( 16 ) of the cover in any number of configurations including small adhesive dots ( 18 ). Further, the eyelid cover may be composed of numerous layers of material to aid in blocking light.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Priority claim, this utility patent application is a continuation ofco-pending application Ser. No. 11/163,673 (file date Oct. 26, 2005) thecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention generally relates to eyelid covers, specifically to sucheyelid covers that help block light from entering the eye by way of theeyelid to aid in sleep.

2. Prior Art

Prior Art Preview and Summary.

Towner (1971), U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,815, represents the closest knownprior art;

however, substantial differences in use, function, and apparatus existwhen compared to the present invention.

Importantly, Towner (1971) discloses an invention that is 1) “domed” andsemi-spherical in shape, 2) made of plastic, and 3) has adhesiveuniformly applied. However, the current invention disclosed includes 1)a flat, non-domed, apparatus structure—which enables the same apparatusto be used on individuals with varying sized eyes (i.e., unneededmaterial for those with smaller eyes simply adheres to the eyebrow areaand is out of the way of the ocular cavity or actual eyelid), 2) anembodiment made of woven textile such as black silk that has specificunobvious light blocking ability due to the prism shape of silk filamentthreads that diffuses and scatters light (similar to a light prism), and3) has adhesive patterned in dots(18) across the backing(16) or alongthe anterior(10) edge or posterior(12) edge—this placement of theadhesive can substantially affect function and provides a number ofimprovements over a uniform adhesive including less adhesive used (lowerproduction cost), improved breathability, improved comfort andfunctionality as a sleep aid. These apparatus differences in the currentinvention compared to all prior art are novel and unobvious.

Towner (1971) invented an “eyelid shield” that was “substantiallyopaque” to protect the eyes while “sunbathing” or for use by “outdoorworkmen and others exposed to bright sunlight or overhead lighting”.Further, Towner's device was “domed” being “semi-ovate” semi-sphericaland constructed of “thin plastic sheet material” that was attached tothe eyelid by uniform adhesive. Towner's device also had an integral“eyeshade” which was a “unilateral forwardly extending translucentportion shading the eyes when open” (page 1-2, U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,815).Towner (1971) makes no mention of use of this device for a sleep aid.Further, the device that Towner claims would be wholly inadequate as asleep aid.

BACKGROUND—PRIOR ART

Light entering the eye through the eyelid can either be a nuisance orcan even cause damage to the retina (for example when sunbathing). Lightthat enters the eye through a closed eyelid while sleeping can disruptsleep patterns (for example when someone wants to sleep until after thesun has risen, but is bothered by ambient light entering through opaquecurtains in the bedroom, which causes the individual to inadvertentlyawaken). Previously, various means of light occluding methods have beenused to block unwanted light from entering the eye through the eyelid.Methods have included sleep masks that cover both eyes and have somesort of retention device, eyelid covers that are self-adherent or have aretention device, and light occluding curtain backings. These lightoccluding methods have served a number of end functions includingmedical eye exams, therapy for specific eye disorders, sunbathing, andsleep aids. However, all of these previous methods tend to havedrawbacks including that they are 1) uncomfortable to wear, 2) are noteasy to wear, 3) impede normal vision when in use, and 4) specificallyrelated to sleep aids, disrupt sleep by unintended effects of their use.

Related to sleep aids, various forms of light occluding inventions havebeen made. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,582 to Leaderman and Fradin(1998) invented light occluding curtains that can be used in conjunctionwith normal draperies to help block out unwanted light to aid in sleep.These curtains are expensive to manufacture, are heavy, andsignificantly distort the normal look of draperies (for example, alllight is blocked causing an overly dark look to a room during the daywhen a more diffuse light coming through a curtain may be desirable).Another problem with light occlusive curtains is that they must be usedin every room where one wants to sleep, this may be inhibitive whensleeping in multiple rooms or traveling.

One inadequate solution to the above problems relates to light occlusivedevices that are worn on the body, either as a sleep mask or as aneyelid cover. These devices solve the problem of traveling to otherareas where light blocking curtains are not installed; butunfortunately, these worn devices cause other problems such asdiscomfort, interruption of normal sleep patterns, and interference withnormal vision. U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,056 to Spiteri (2003) describes amodified sleep mask that purports to be an improvement on traditionalsleep masks. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,217 to Kitayama (1989) describesan invention that is worn as a sleep mask to block light from enteringthe eye through the eyelid. Although this invention purports to be animprovement due to its ability to not contact the eyelid, this inventionshares the same drawbacks of all sleep masks. Namely, the drawbacks ofsleep masks include: 1) interference with normal sight (for example, thesleep mask must be manually removed to see clearly) and 2) the sleepmask contacts some part of the face or head of the wearer. These contactpoints are likely to become sleep disruptive pressure points, when theweight of the wearer's head sandwiches the sleep mask between the pillowand the wearer's face or eyes. Further, since sleep masks interfere withsight, they can create a claustrophobic feeling for the wearer, which isexacerbated by a potential need to remove the sleep mask rapidly whilethe wearer is in a somnolent state.

A continual problem for light occlusive sleep masks and eyelid covers isthis need to remove the invention before one can obtain normal sight.For some inventions this is not a huge problem since their usage is inlight occlusive therapy (in light occlusive therapy there is a strictamount of time that the devices are worn where during the wear-time thefunction is to block all or most light from entering the eye). Forexample see U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,040 to Riedel and Olsen (1990); U.S.Pat. No. 5,191,897 to Meshel (1993); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,658 toMorgan and Wyszynski (1989). However, most eyelid covers that have beeninvented that block light from entering the eye through the eyelidsuffer from this problem of need for removal or manipulation in orderfor the wearer to see normally. For example see U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,897to Meshel (1993) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,746 to Stoner (1986). The oneknown exception to this problem relates to an expired U.S. patent toTowner (1971) (U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,815).

Towner (1971), U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,815, represents the closest knownprior art; however, substantial differences in use, function, andapparatus exist when compared to the present invention. Towner (1971)invented an “eyelid shield” that was “substantially opaque” to protectthe eyes while “sunbathing” or for use by “outdoor workmen and othersexposed to bright sunlight or overhead lighting”. Further, Towner'sdevice was “domed” being “semi-ovate” and constructed of “thin plasticsheet material” that was attached to the eyelid by adhesive. Towner'sdevice also had an integral “eyeshade” which was a “unilateral forwardlyextending translucent portion shading the eyes when open” (page 1-2,U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,815). Towner (1971) makes no mention of use of thisdevice for a sleep aid. Further, the device that Towner claims would bewholly inadequate as a sleep aid.

Worn sleep aids such as sleep masks and eyelid covers, as previouslymentioned, must be extremely comfortable so as to not interfere withsleep. Towner's (1971) device is made of plastic, is in a semisphericalconstruction, and includes an extended eyeshade. These three featurespreclude the use of this device for a sleep aid and his device is ofquestionable utility in general. Towner states that his device is madeof plastic but able to fold into the ocular cavity atop of the eyelid.Plastic, even when thin, is not the most flexible material. It seemsunlikely that the device could easily fold into the ocular cavity atopof the eyelid as Towner describes. Even if the device could fold asdescribed, it would necessitate the use of a much stronger adhesive thanif the device had been made of a superior, more flexible, material thatwould fold atop the eyelid in an easier manner. Further, once folded inthe ocular cavity plastic is likely to return to its formed shape morereadily than superior materials. This force to return to its formedoriginal shape would create undue pressure on the top of the eyeball andocular cavity tissue. (Please see FIG. 5 of Towner (1971)). Also,Towner's device is made of plastic which is unsuitable for a sleep aid.Plastic will prevent the eyelid skin from the contact with the air whichwill in turn cause heat and moisture buildup under the device. Theseunpleasant sensations are not conducive to sleep.

Towner's (1971) “domed” and “semi-ovate” semispherical construction isproblematic for a sleep aid. When sleeping, various forces are placed onthe face and eyelid by way of pressure of gravity from the head and faceresting on the pillow (if someone is sleeping on their stomach or ontheir side). As such, these forces tend to distort the shape of theeyelid atop the eyeball into some other shape other than the usualsemispherical shape. Towner's device would likely be very uncomfortablein these situations. Additionally, since Towner's invention is “domed”and “semi-ovate”, if part of it were to become depressed (such as fromforce exerted by the pillow) when the force was removed it would snapback to its original shape. This return to original shape would likelybe accompanied by both a sound made by the plastic and a sensation ofthe skin of the eyelid being pulled. Both the sound and thepulling-skin-sensation would not be comfortable nor conducive to sleep.A further problem with a preformed “domed” “semi-ovate” shape is thateveryone's eyeballs and eyelids are of a different size and shape. Forexample, if someone had larger or smaller eyelids the preformed size ofTowner's device would not fit those individuals.

Towner's (1971) device has an extended eyeshade that protrudes from thefront of the device. This eyeshade would contact the pillow whilesleeping and either pull the eyelid cover off or exert pressure on thetissue around the eye. Again, Towner's device was not conceived for useas a sleep aid and would be unsuitable as such.

The fundamental safety of Towner's (1971) device, as conceived, or asused as a sleep aid is questionable. Towner describes the device as madeof “thin plastic sheet material” (page 2; U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,815). Thinplastic has a thin, yet sharp, edge. For example, thin plastic is aboutthe same thickness of thin paper. Paper can easily cut skin.Furthermore, the proximity of something that could cut skin being closeto the eye is dangerous. Additionally, the eyeshade extension thatTowner (1971) describes, or another part of the device, could bend backand cut the eyeball if force where exerted on it by a pillow whilesleeping. Again, any edge of the device could cut the eye while someonewas applying the device. A cut to the eyeball, face, or eyelid is highlydangerous and highly undesirable.

In summary, all prior inventions designed to help block light from theeye by way of entry through the eyelid suffer from some or all of thefollowing disadvantages:

(a) They are expensive to manufacture. This cost prohibits the sale ofthese products to a wide variety of consumers.

(b) They are heavy. For example, light-blocking drapery liners canstrain or damage curtain rod assemblies.

(c) Do to their size they are unable to be used while traveling. Forexample, the use of light-blocking drapery liners is prohibitive whiletraveling due to the unknown constraints of fitting the window in whichthe traveler finds himself/herself.

(d) They interfere with the sleep process due to their uncomfortablenature. For example, sleep masks invariably create a sensation ofsomething that is covering the eyes or face. This can either beprohibitive due to pressure that is exerted on the eyes, face, or headof the wearer or through a psychological process of causingclaustrophobia.

(e) They interfere with the sleep process because their usage isincompatible with the physiological necessities of sleep. For example,if one chooses to put on or take off eyelid covers or a sleep mask,these processes of putting on or taking off the device, wouldnecessitate a certain amount of physiological arousal. In turn, thisphysiological arousal is likely to result in the person entering a moreawake state from a formerly somnolent state—which is incompatible withsleep. Further, prior art sleep masks and eyelid covers present aproblem in that one must be somewhat awake to put them on correctly.This is problematic if one wants to read before going to sleep and fallasleep without fiddling with the application of a sleep mask or eyelidcover. The actual application of a sleep mask or eyelid cover, aftersome preferred pre-sleep behavior such as reading, is likely to causephysiological arousal thereby being incompatible with sleep.

(f) They interfere with normal vision. Currently, all known priorinventions that are designed to be sleep aids when worn on the eyelid,face, or head interfere with normal vision. Towner (1971) is the loneexception, but his device was not conceived as a sleep aid. And, moreimportantly, for the previously discussed reasons, Towner's (1971)device is generally dangerous and wholly unsuitable as a sleep aid. Theinterference with normal vision and the special demands of sleeping aresubstantial. For example, sleep masks or various eyelid covers must beremoved in order to see out of the eyes. The interference of normalvision is problematic because often the user would like to see instantlywithout engaging the process of removing the inventions from the eyelid,face, or head. For example, someone that is asleep may be awakened by ahome intruder and instantly want use of their sight. Similarly, asoldier who is sleeping in a combat condition during the day, in extremedessert sun, may want the benefits of a light-occluding device, butwould not use the prior art due to the drawback of the inability toinstantly have use of his/her sight. Further, all known prior artrelated to sleep aids prohibits normal vision. Therefore, one cannotread before going to sleep with prior art inventions and cannotinstantly open his/her eyes to see something in the bedroom such as analarm clock.

(g) They are of varying ability to actually block light from enteringthe eye through the eyelid. For example some sleep masks when worn donot fit the contours of the face and allow light to enter these spacesbetween the face and the mask.

(h) They are of non-adjustable ability to block light from entering theeye through the eyelid. For example, often an eyelid cover blocks alllight or for U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,040 to Riedel and Olsen (1990) theeyelid cover blocks certain wavelengths of light. However, no knownprior art blocks varying amounts of light. For example, no known priorart sleep masks or eyelid covers are designed to block 50 percent oflight or 75 percent of light or 95 percent of light. Sometimes aconsumer may want to wear an eyelid cover that blocks only 50 percent oflight so awakening in the morning is more easy due to more lightentering the eye through the eyelid. Conversely, another consumer maywant to wear an eyelid cover that blocks 95 percent of light or higherso that he/she can sleep effectively in an intense light environment.

(i) They are dangerous and not conceived as a sleep aid. In particular,Towner's (1971) device is, as previously discussed, 1) generallydangerous, 2) not conceived as a sleep aid, and 3) incapable of being asleep aid due to safety and comfort factors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Accordingly, several objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the ensuing description and drawings. These objects andadvantages include the following:

(a) to provide an eyelid cover that is inexpensive to manufacturethereby increasing the likelihood that a wide variety of consumers willbe able to purchase the invention;

(b) to provide an eyelid cover that is light in weight;

(c) to provide an eyelid cover that is easily portable to be used athome or while traveling, camping, or in any place where a portablelight-blocking eyelid cover would be beneficial.

(d) to provide an eyelid cover that does not interfere with the sleepprocess. For example, an eyelid cover that is comfortable, and does notcreate undue pressure on the face, eyes, or head; to provide an eyelidcover that is barely detectable to the wearer and does not contribute tofeelings of claustrophobia.

(e) to provide an eyelid cover that does not interfere with thephysiological necessities of sleep. For example, to provide an eyelidcover that one can put on before going to sleep and that does not needto be adjusted to obtain normal vision. Therefore, one can read beforegoing to sleep with the eyelid cover on his/her eyelids, go to sleepwithout adjusting the eyelid covers, and open his/her eyes to see thingswith normal vision throughout the night and day. All of this can beaccomplished without adjusting the eyelid covers and therefore, withoutincreasing physiological arousal which could interfere with sleep.Further, the invention is less likely to cause the claustrophobicreaction that sleep masks and prior art eyelid covers can evoke in someindividuals.

(f) to provide an eyelid cover that does not interfere with normalvision. The invention can be worn with the eyelids open or with theeyelids closed and the invention does not inhibit normal vision when theeyelids are open. The ability of the invention to accomplish thisadvantage is particularly useful for individuals that would like instantuse of their sight. Some examples of these individuals could be vigilantsleepers that are concerned about visually checking the clock, checkingunknown sounds in the room, or checking any potential safety threatswhile sleeping, such as possible house fires or intruders. Otherindividuals that could want instant use of their site include travelersin potentially unsafe settings or military soldiers in combat conditionsthat necessitate the instant assessment of threat and/or use of weaponryor machinery.

(g) to provide an eyelid cover that blocks a significant percentage oflight from entering a closed eye by way of the eyelid.

(h) to provide an eyelid cover that is capable of being manufactured toblock varying percentages of light from entering an eye by way of theeyelid. Various differences in manufacturing could produce eyelid coversof different abilities to block different amounts of light. This couldbe advantageous in that one individual may want an eyelid cover thatblocks some but not all light (50 percent for example). The individualmay want this 50 percent blocking eyelid cover to effectively blockdiffuse sunlight coming through a curtain, but may still want toexperience some light coming through the eyelid to aid in waking up.However, another individual may want an eyelid cover of a higherlight-blocking percentage (for example 95 percent). A situation wherethis may be useful is when trying to sleep in intense lightenvironments, for example a soldier who must sleep in the desert sun oran individual that wants to block out as much ambient light as possiblewhile sleeping late into the morning in their bedroom.

(i) to provide a safe and comfortable sleep aid that blocks light fromentering the eye by way of the eyelid, but does not interfere withnormal vision.

Further objects and advantages are to provide a light-blocking eyelidcover that does not interfere with normal vision. Additionally, theeyelid cover could be used multiple times or as a disposable itemdepending on manufacturing. Still further objects and advantages willbecome apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description anddrawings.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present invention, the eyelid cover when the eyeis closed blocks a significant amount of light from entering the eye byway of the eyelid. Further, the eyelid cover can be worn with the eyeopen (e.g. it retracts into the ocular cavity atop of the eyelid).Therefore, the eyelid cover does not interfere with normal vision. Thisadvantage is a substantial improvement over all known prior art sleepaids.

Furthermore, the current invention disclosed includes 1) a flat,non-domed, apparatus structure—which enables the same apparatus to beused on individuals with varying sized eyes (i.e., unneeded material forthose with smaller eyes simply adheres to the eyebrow area and is out ofthe way of the ocular cavity or actual eyelid), 2) an embodiment made ofwoven textile such as black silk that has specific unobvious lightblocking ability due to the prism shape of silk filament threads thatdiffuses and scatters light (similar to a light prism), and 3) hasadhesive patterned in dots(18) across the backing(16) or along theanterior(10) edge or posterior(12) edge—this placement of the adhesivecan substantially affect function and provides a number of improvementsover a uniform adhesive including less adhesive used (lower productioncost), improved breathability, improved comfort and functionality as asleep aid. These apparatus differences in the current invention arenovel and unobvious.

In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number butdifferent alphabetic suffixes.

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

FIGS. 1A to 1D show various aspects of an eyelid cover that is of a flatdesign with adhesive dots on one side only.

FIG. 2A shows a front view of the eyelid cover (of FIGS. 1A to 1D) inuse on a human's eyelid with an open eye. Likewise, FIG. 2B shows afront view of the eyelid cover (of FIGS. 1A to 1D) in use on a human'seyelid with a closed eye. And FIG. 2C shows a side view of the eyelidcover (of FIGS. 1A to 1D) in use on a human's eyelid with an open eye.

FIG. 3A shows a similar eyelid cover with adhesive dots arranged alongthe anterior and posterior edge on one side only of the eyelid cover.

FIG. 3B shows the eyelid cover (of 3A) as a side cutaway in use on ahuman's open eyelid.

FIG. 3C shows a similar eyelid cover with adhesive dots arranged alongthe posterior edge on one side only of the eyelid cover.

FIG. 3D shows the eyelid cover (of 3C) as a side cutaway in use on ahuman's open eyelid.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show various aspects of eyelid covers that are composedof different layers of materials.

FIG. 5 shows a similar eyelid cover to the preferred embodiment withconcentric marking lines to enable it to be cut-to-size by a consumer.

DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS

10 anterior edge 12 posterior edge 14 front of cover 16 back side ofcover 18 adhesive dots 20 side view of preferred embodiment 22 side viewof alt. embodiment 24 side view of material one 26 side view of materialtwo 28 concentric marking lines

DETAILED DESCRIPTION—PREFERRED EMBODIMENT—FIGS.

A preferred embodiment of the eyelid cover of the present invention isillustrated in FIG. 1A (front view), FIG. 1B eyelid cover bent to showfront and back, FIG. 1C (back view), and FIG. 1D (side view enlarged).The eyelid cover is comprised of a thin uniform sheet member materialthat is cut in the approximate shape to cover an adult human's uppereyelid from where the skin of the eyelid meets the eyelashes to rightbelow the eyebrow. In the preferred embodiment the sheet member is of anatural black-dyed silk fabric of tight weave and high thread count tomaximize both comfort of the soft silk fabric, its ability to moderateheat and humidity on the skin, and its ability to block light. However,other fabrics or sheet materials would also make acceptable substitutes.These could include: nylon, rayon, Kevlar, cotton, and various otherthin, flexible, light-blocking materials, including polymeric materials.The back side of the eyelid cover is covered in a hypoallergenicadhesive. The preferred embodiment uses adhesive dots 18 spaced on theback side 16 so the fabric material and skin can adequately breathe whenaffixed to the eyelid.

At one end of the eyelid cover is a straight (or only very slightlycurved) edge 10. This edge is designed to correspond to the skin of theupper eyelid where it meets the eyelashes. The other edge of the eyelidcover is more curved 12 and designed to match the curve where the uppereyelid meets the eyebrow.

The rough shape of the eyelid cover is a flat semi-oval. This shape canbe cut from a larger sheet of material by programmed robotic cuttersincluding laser cutters or by hand. The length is typically 50 mm. Thewidth at the widest part of the semi-oval is typically 25 mm. Thethickness of the material that comprises the eyelid cover is quite thinand in general less than 0.3 mm. The outer edges of the eyelid cover 10& 12 may be micro-abraded or sealed in some fashion to increase thesoftness of the edges and decrease the likelihood of the edges fraying.

The adhesive on the back side of the preferred embodiment eyelid coveris applied in dots 18 roughly equally spaced over the entire back side16. However, other embodiments can have adhesive dots 18 placed on theback of the cover 16 in other configurations. Further, other embodimentsmay have a more uniform and continual adhesive applied to the entirebackside 16 of the cover. Adhesive can be applied by any number of meansincluding by spray devices, by pressure transfer adhesives, by brush,etceteras.

Operation—Preferred Embodiment—FIGS. 1, & 2

The manner of using the eyelid cover is to affix it to the skin of theupper eyelid from where the eyelid meets the eyelashes to the skin allthe way to right below the eyebrow. One first positions the anterioredge 10 to be parallel to the edge of the upper eyelid where theeyelashes begin. Then, the front 14 of the eyelid cover is depressed bythe fingers causing the backside 16 to come into contact with and adhereto the skin of the eyelid. This process is simplified by putting oneeyelid cover on at a time. Further ease is accomplished by pulling theskin of the upper eyelid as taut as possible before and duringapplication. This can be done by almost closing the eye and furrowingthe forehead skin, thus raising the eyebrows by way of the muscles inthe forehead.

When the eyelid is closed (FIG. 2B), the eyelid cover adheres to theskin of the upper eyelid and blocks a significant portion of light thatwould otherwise enter the eye by passing through the eyelid. However, asseen in FIGS. 2A and 2C when the eye is opened the eyelid cover foldsinto the ocular cavity above the eye allowing the individual to seenormally.

To remove the eyelid cover, one simply slowly pulls one edge 12 of thecover away from the skin of the eyelid and gradually peels the eyelidcover off. Since the preferred material is so supple, use of a low-tackadhesive is made possible and further aids in quick and painlessremoval.

Depending on the composition of the adhesive (and individual differencesin sebaceous gland productivity in the periorbital facial area), theeyelid cover can be either a disposable one-time-use item or can be usedmultiple times.

Description—Alternate Embodiment—FIGS. 3, 4, & 5

Additional embodiments are shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. In FIG. 3A analternate arrangement of adhesive dots 18 is provided where adhesive isplaced on the back side 16; but only near the anterior 10 and posterior12 edges. FIG. 4 depicts an alternate embodiment that is comprised oftwo separate sheets of material that are attached together. FIG. 4Ashows this embodiment with one part of the top sheet 26 peeled back toreveal the bottom sheet 24. FIG. 4B shows an enlarged side view 22 ofthis embodiment with both sheets 24 & 26 attached together. FIG. 5depicts an alternate embodiment where concentric lines 28 are drawn orprinted on the top side 14 to indicate where a consumer should cut thedevice.

Operation—Alternate Embodiment—FIGS.

In FIG. 3A an alternate arrangement of adhesive dots 18 is providedwhere adhesive is placed on the back side 16, but only near the anterior10 and posterior 12 edges. Surprisingly, this placement of adhesivecould slightly change the operation of the eyelid cover. Since in FIG.3A no adhesive is in the center of the backside 16 of the eyelid cover,the eyelid cover may fold away from the face outward (see FIG. 3B)instead of folding into the ocular cavity (see FIGS. 2A & 2C) when theeye is opened. The operation remains the same for FIGS. 3A and 3B as thepreferred embodiment (FIGS. 1 & 2) when the eye is closed. However, theembodiment depicted in 3A and 3B would also necessitate an adhesive ofstronger tackiness to remain on the eyelid, since less surface area ofthe back side 16 is devoted to adhesive.

Again, in FIG. 3C an alternate arrangement of adhesive dots 18 isprovided where adhesive is placed on the back side 16, but only near theanterior edge 10. This placement of adhesive could slightly change theoperation of the eyelid cover. Since in FIG. 3C no adhesive is in thecenter of the backside 16 of the eyelid cover nor is there any adhesiveon the posterior edge 12 of the backside 16 of the eyelid cover, theeyelid cover will not fold into the ocular cavity (see FIG. 2); rather,the eyelid cover when the eye is opened will remain substantially flatbut move atop the skin moving toward the eyebrow as depicted in FIG. 3D.The operation remains the same for FIGS. 3C and 3D as the preferredembodiment (FIGS. 1 & 2) when the eye is closed. However, the embodimentdepicted in 3C and 3D would also necessitate an adhesive of strongertackiness to remain on the eyelid, since less surface area of the backside 16 is devoted to adhesive.

FIGS. 4A and 4B depict an alternate embodiment that functions in thesame operation as the preferred embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2.The use of layers of material in the composition of the eyelid cover canproduce an eyelid cover that has increased light-blocking capabilities.The layers could be attached to each other by various means includingadhesive, melting (if synthetic materials are used), weave or stitching,etceteras. These multitude of layers could be comprised of variousmaterials including textiles, polymeric substances, etceteras.

FIG. 5 depicts an alternate embodiment where concentric lines 28 aredrawn or printed on the top side 14 to indicate where a consumer shouldcut the device. These lines could be used to designate the place wherethe consumer should cut to tailor the device to their own eyelid shapeand size. For example, three lines could be printed that relate tosmall, medium, or large sizes. The consumer could cut with scissorsalong these lines 28 to obtain a semi-individualized eyelid cover ofbetter coverage and comfort than a one-size-fits-all eyelid cover.

Advantages

From the description above, a number of advantages of my eyelid coversbecome evident:

(a) Manufacturing of the invention is inexpensive since it is comprisedof two parts in the preferred embodiment (i.e., adhesive and a silkfabric). Since eyelid covers are designed to fit on the eyelids, only asmall amount of material is needed to manufacture each eyelid cover.Further, since the preferred embodiment is made of silk it is anaturally renewing and non-polluting resource from which to make theeyelid covers. Due to the low costs of manufacturing, a wide variety ofconsumers are able to purchase this product.

(b) The preferred embodiment use of silk fabric allows the invention tobe light in weight.

(c) The preferred embodiment's use of silk fabric allows the inventionto be bendable for storage or transport. Thus, it is easily portable tobe used at home, while traveling, camping, in the field, or in any placewhere a portable light-blocking eyelid cover would be beneficial.

(d) The eyelid covers do not interfere with the sleep process. Forexample, the eyelid cover is comfortable, and does not create unduepressure on the face, eyes, or head even when contacting the pillow oranother item that the individual is resting their head on while sleeping(e.g. a padded beam of an interior car door). Further, the presentinvention is barely detectable to the wearer and does not contribute tofeelings of claustrophobia.

(e) The eyelid cover does not interfere with the physiologicalnecessities of sleep. For example, the present invention can be put onbefore going to sleep and it does not need to be adjusted to obtainnormal vision. Therefore, one can read before going to sleep with theeyelid covers on his/her eyelids, go to sleep without adjusting theeyelid covers, and open his/her eyes to see things with normal visionthroughout the night and day. All of this can be accomplished withoutadjusting the eyelid covers and therefore without increasingphysiological arousal which would interfere with sleep. Further, theinvention is less likely to cause the claustrophobic reaction that sleepmasks and prior art eyelid covers can evoke in some individuals. Thiselimination of the anxiety response of claustrophobia (due to theinstant ability to see with the device on) contributes to thephysiological necessities of sleep (i.e., people find that it isdifficult to sleep while experiencing anxiety).

(f) The eyelid covers do not interfere with normal vision. The inventioncan be worn with the eyelids open or with the eyelids closed and theinvention does not inhibit normal vision when the eyelids are open. Theability of the invention to accomplish this advantage is particularlyuseful for individuals that would like instant use of their sight. Someexamples of these individuals could be vigilant sleepers that areconcerned about visually checking the clock, checking unknown sounds inthe room, or checking any potential safety threats while sleeping, suchas possible house fires or intruders. Other individuals that could wantinstant use of their site include travelers in potentially unsafesettings or military soldiers in combat conditions that necessitate theinstant assessment of threat and/or use of weaponry or machinery.

(g) The eyelid cover blocks a significant percentage of light fromentering a closed eye by way of the eyelid. This is particularly usefulwhile sleeping in environments that have less than optimal lightconditions. The invention creates the effect of sleeping in a darkenvironment even if the environment actually contains light that wouldbe bothersome to someone not using the invention.

(h) The eyelid cover is capable of being manufactured to block varyingpercentages of light from entering an eye by way of the eyelid. Variousdifferences in manufacturing could produce eyelid covers of differentabilities to block different amounts of light. This could beadvantageous in that one individual may want an eyelid cover that blockssome, but not all light (50 percent for example). The individual maywant this 50 percent blocking eyelid cover to effectively block diffusesunlight coming through a curtain, but may still want to experience somelight coming through the eyelid to aid in waking up. However, anotherindividual may want an eyelid cover of a higher light-blockingpercentage (for example 95 percent). A situation where this higherlight-blocking eyelid cover may be useful is when trying to sleep inintense light environments, for example a soldier who must sleep in thedesert sun or an individual that wants to block out as much ambientlight as possible while sleeping late into the morning in theirlight-intense bedroom.

(i) The eyelid covers are a safe and comfortable sleep aid that blockslight from entering the eye by way of the eyelid, but does not interferewith normal vision. The preferred embodiment is made from a tightlywoven natural black dyed silk fabric and non-allergenic adhesive. Theproduct is conceptualized for the special use of sleeping, and addressesthe various safety and comfort needs of a sleeper; namely, the need tohave a device that 1) is not likely to abrade, lacerate, or irritate theeyeball, eyelid, face, or head; 2) effectively blocks light fromentering a closed eye by way of the eyelid; 3) provides comfort in allsleeping conditions and does not exert unwanted pressure or sensationson the eyeball, eyelid, face, or head; and 4) enables the wearer to havefull unencumbered use of his/her vision without adjusting the device, bysimply opening his/her eyes.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

Accordingly, the reader will see that the eyelid covers of thisinvention can be used in any number of environments to help blockunwanted light from entering the closed eye by way of the eyelid. Inaddition, the eyelid covers of this invention enable the wearer to havefull unencumbered use of their vision by simply opening their eyes.There is no need to adjust or remove the eyelid covers to obtain normalvision. Further, the eyelid covers are safe and comfortable and areconceived to solve the numerous problems that are specific to the needsof a light-blocking device for use while resting, sleeping, or trying tofall asleep. The present invention has the additional advantages in thatit

-   -   1 provides an eyelid cover that is inexpensive to manufacture        thereby increasing the likelihood that a wide variety of        consumers will be able to purchase the invention;    -   2 provides an eyelid cover that is light in weight;    -   3 provides an eyelid cover that is easily portable to be used at        home or while traveling, camping, or in any place where a        portable light-blocking eyelid cover would be beneficial.    -   4 provides an eyelid cover that does not interfere with the        sleep process. It provides for the necessities of sleep which        include comfort and a lack of undesirable sensations.    -   5 provides an eyelid cover that does not interfere with the        physiological necessities of sleep. For example, to provide an        eyelid cover that one can put on before going to sleep and that        does not need to be adjusted to obtain normal vision. Therefore,        the wearer can get ready for bed or even read while wearing the        device. Further, at night the wearer can instantly have use of        his/her sight by simply opening his/her eyes. This reduces        claustrophobia and reduces any anxiety. Dissimilar devices that        interfere with vision (e.g., sleep masks) indirectly interfere        with sleep by causing anxiety or claustrophobia for some        individuals.    -   6 provides an eyelid cover that does not interfere with normal        vision. The invention can be worn with the eyelids open or with        the eyelids closed and the invention does not inhibit normal        vision when the eyelids are open. The ability of the invention        to accomplish this advantage is particularly useful for        individuals that would like instant use of their sight. Some        examples of these individuals could be vigilant sleepers that        are concerned about visually checking the clock, checking        unknown sounds in the room, or checking any potential safety        threats while sleeping, such as possible house fires or        intruders. Other individuals that could want instant use of        their site include travelers in potentially unsafe settings or        military soldiers in combat conditions that necessitate the        instant assessment of threat and/or use of weaponry or        machinery. Further, common everyday users will enjoy being able        to put the device on while getting ready for bed, read in bed,        then instantly go to sleep.    -   7 provides an eyelid cover that blocks a significant percentage        of light from entering a closed eye by way of the eyelid.    -   8 provides an eyelid cover that is capable of being manufactured        to block varying percentages of light from entering an eye by        way of the eyelid. Various differences in manufacturing can        produce eyelid covers of different abilities to block different        amounts of light. For example, someone that wants to sleep in an        intense light environment would need an eyelid cover of higher        light-blocking ability than someone that simply wants to cut        down on some ambient light, but still have the benefit of having        some light enter the eye through the cover and eyelid to help        wake him/her up.    -   9 provides a safe and comfortable sleep aid that blocks light        from entering the eye by way of the eyelid but does not        interfere with normal vision. Because the preferred embodiment        is made of silk and hypoallergenic adhesive, it is extremely        safe and highly unlikely to scratch the eyeball even if it comes        into direct contact with the eyeball while sleeping or while        applying or removing the invention. Safety, comfort, and an        ability to quickly use one's sight are important issues that are        needed for restful sleep and these qualities are assured by the        conceptualization of the invention.    -   10 While the above description contains numerous specificities,        these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the        invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the        presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Many other        ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings        of the invention. For example the eyelid cover could be composed        of any number of materials such as synthetic material; the        eyelid covers could be made of a composition of materials such        as a laminate of different layers of synthetic fabric such as        nylon and natural fabric such as cotton or silk; the eyelid        covers could have a bridge of some kind connecting the two        covers together to form one unit, etceteras.

Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appendedclaims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given.

Definition List 1 Term Definition Adhesive: Any substance used to bondtwo or more surfaces together

Definition List 2 Term Definition Sheet member: Any material that isuniform, thin, and flat

Definition List 3 Term Definition polymeric: Made of polymers (i.e.,plastics)

1. An eyelid cover to be used as a sleep aid, comprising: (a) a sheetmember of substantially flexible materials of predeterminedlight-blocking ability of sufficient size to substantially cover theupper human eyelid, (b) an adhesive for attaching said sheet member tothe outer skin of the eyelid, (c) a means of blocking light fromentering a human eye through a closed eyelid by affixing said sheetmember to the upper eyelid by said means of attachment, (d) a means ofattaining uninhibited sight by the user opening the eyelid onto whichsaid sheet member is attached by said means of attachment thereby movingsaid sheet member out of the field of view, Whereby said eyelid coverprovides the user with the unique needs of a sleep aid which include asafe, comfortable, and easy way to enhance his/her ability to sleep inenvironments where there is unwanted light.
 2. The eyelid cover of claim1 wherein said sheet member is comprised of textiles.
 3. The eyelidcover of claim 2 wherein said sheet member is comprised of silk textile.4. The eyelid cover of claim 1 wherein said sheet member is comprised ofpolymeric materials.
 5. The eyelid cover of claim 1 wherein said sheetmember is comprised of a multitude of layers of materials.
 6. The eyelidcover of claim 1 wherein said adhesive is arranged along a plurality ofedges of said sheet member.
 7. The eyelid cover of claim 1 wherein saidadhesive is configured into round circles spaced apart on said sheetmember.
 8. The eyelid cover of claim 1 wherein marking lines upon saidsheet member indicate where a user should trim said eyelid cover toapproximate an individualized fit.
 9. An eyelid cover to be used as asleep aid, comprising: (a) a sheet member of thin, flat, non-domedshape, (b) said sheet member is of substantially flexible materials ofpredetermined light-blocking ability of sufficient size to substantiallycover the upper human eyelid, (c) an adhesive for attaching said sheetmember to the outer skin of the eyelid, (d) a means of blocking lightfrom entering a human eye through a closed eyelid by affixing said sheetmember to the upper eyelid by said means of attachment, (e) a means ofattaining uninhibited sight by the user opening the eyelid onto whichsaid sheet member is attached by said means of attachment thereby movingsaid sheet member out of the field of view, Whereby said eyelid coverprovides the user with the unique needs of a sleep aid which include asafe, comfortable, and easy way to enhance his/her ability to sleep inenvironments where there is unwanted light.
 10. The eyelid cover ofclaim 9 wherein said sheet member is comprised of textiles.
 11. Theeyelid cover of claim 10 wherein said sheet member is comprised of silktextile.
 12. The eyelid cover of claim 9 wherein said sheet member iscomprised of polymeric materials.
 13. The eyelid cover of claim 9wherein said sheet member is comprised of a multitude of layers ofmaterials.
 14. The eyelid cover of claim 9 wherein said adhesive isarranged along a plurality of edges of said sheet member.
 15. The eyelidcover of claim 9 wherein said adhesive is configured into round circlesspaced apart on said sheet member.
 16. The eyelid cover of claim 9wherein marking lines upon said sheet member indicate where a usershould trim said eyelid cover to approximate an individualized fit. 17.A new method for improving the quality and quantity of human sleep byblocking a substantial amount of light from entering a closed eyelidwhile permitting normal sight when the eyelid is opened by way of aneyelid cover where adhesive is placed on the back side of the eyelidcover dictating the mechanism of action to slide the eyelid cover awayfrom the field of view moving it into the ocular cavity atop theretracted eyelid when the user opens his/her eye, enabling uninhibiteduse of vision, comprising: a. providing an eyelid cover of the typecomprising a thin sheet member of flexible, substantiallylight-blocking, materials, b. providing an adhesive on the back side ofthe eyelid cover for affixing said thin sheet member of flexible,substantially light-blocking, materials to the outer skin of the eyelid,c. affixing said eyelid cover to the outer skin of a human eyelid, d.blocking of substantial amounts of light from entering the eye by way ofsaid eyelid, e. permitting normal sight when said eyelid is opened, bythe movement of the upper eyelid moving said eyelid cover away from thefield of view due to a mechanism of action that results in folding theeyelid cover into the ocular cavity atop the retracted eyelid, withoutremoving said eyelid cover, whereby said eyelid cover provides the userwith a safe, comfortable, and easy way to enhance his/her ability tosleep in environments where there is unwanted light while maintainingthe ability to have uninhibited use of vision by opening his/her eyes.18. The method of claim 17 wherein said sheet member of flexible,substantially light-blocking, material is comprised of textiles.
 19. Themethod of claim 17 wherein said sheet member of flexible, substantiallylight-blocking, material is comprised of polymeric materials.
 20. Themethod of claim 17 wherein said sheet member of flexible, substantiallylight-blocking, material is comprised of a multitude of layers ofmaterials.
 21. The method of claim 17 wherein said sheet member offlexible, substantially light-blocking, material is comprised of silk.